1. Field of the Invention
A wheel cover mounted on a wheel rim comprising an inner base member having an outer disc member rotatably mounted thereto to display an indicia thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most vehicles have wheel covers generally adorned with decorative designs or advertising material.
However, since the wheel covers rotate with the vehicle wheels, the designs, symbols and/or advertising slogans and/or information cannot be easily discerned nor read.
Efforts have been made to construct stationary wheel covers mounted in such a manner that the wheel covers remain in a stationary, non-rotating position while the wheels and hub caps of the vehicle rotate are known to the art. Such covers permit inscriptions, names, monograms, designs and the like, to be attached or inscribed on their outer surface to be readily visible and to remain in a stationary upright position, notwithstanding the rotation of the wheels and hub caps of the vehicle.
Often such wheel covers lack stability and tend to oscillate about the axis of rotation of the hub caps on which the assemblies are mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,354 describes a wheel cover comprising a rotatable shield element for rotation to maintain a fixed angular position relative to the horizontal even during rotation of the wheel. There is a connection between the securement and support device and the shield element comprising a roller bearing mounted on the support shaft by an annular intermediate member disposed adjustably between an internal ring of the roller bearing and the support shaft, and delimited by a perforated disk, whose diameter corresponds to that of the internal ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,030 shows a hub cap having at its center a static lateral axis, a supporting plate fixed to the inner side of the hub cap and a clutch plate fixed at one of its ends to the inner end of the lateral axle. The clutch plate includes an eccentric bob fixed at its other end. A static member is fixed to the outer end of the lateral axis and having a second eccentric bob connected thereto. A rear cover is connected to the inner side of the hub cap and covers the support plate and clutch plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,293 teaches a stationary display member mounted on the rotating hub cap comprising a disc-like member coaxially mounted on the hub cap to be freely rotatable about the axis of rotation of the hub cap. The disc-like member has an internal chamber which is partially filled with a flowable material that collects at the bottom of the chamber to form an off-set weight which prevents the disc-like member from turning as the hub cap turns about its axis of rotation. A damping device included in the chamber coacts with the flowable material to dampen any tendency for the disc-like member to oscillate about the axis of rotation of the hub cap. An appropriate insignia, design, message or other inscription is imprinted or attached to the outer face of the disc-like member and remains stationary as the hub cap rotates.
German (DE) 3,919,268 describes a hubcap consisting of an inner member having means both to attach the hubcap to a wheel and to support a rotatable outer member. The outer member is fitted at one edge with a weight that helps prevent the outer member rotating with the inner member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,478,475 shows an advertising device for vehicles comprising a cap adapted to be screwed on to the wheel-hub, a spindle and a ball bearing supporting the spindle in the cap. A portion of the inner part of the ball bearing forms a shoulder with the spindle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,014,058 teaches a hubcap comprising a body having a concavity in the face to provide an inner wall, a hub secured to the inner wall, a name plate closing the concavity, a shaft secured to the name plate and mounted for rotation in the hub and means to normally hold the name plate stationary when the wheel is in motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,729 describes a display apparatus including a main plate of a diameter such that its peripheral edge portion is abuttingly secured to a vehicle wheel rim and on which is rotatably mounted a display disk held by a counterweight against rotation where the wheel is rotating, and a transparent cover for the disk whose edge flange is separably secured to the peripheral edge portion of the main plate.
British (GB) 281,602 shows the arrangement of non-rotating discs fixed to non-rotating axles on the outer side of wheels of vehicles for the display of advertising.
Great Britain 1,188,397 teaches an advertising display attachment for use with a vehicle wheel assembly comprising a non-rotatable axle having a threaded end, a hub rotatably mounted on the axle and a nut engaging the threaded axle end to maintain the hub on the axle. The advertising display attachment comprises a support member having an end wall and a peripheral side wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the end wall and adapted to receive the nut. A stepped annular backing member is adapted for mounting on the axle between the nut and the hub; while, an annular sealing element is adapted to be disposed between the backing member and the hub. A securing means is provided at the end wall of the support member adapted to carry an advertising display plate. The arrangement being such that in the assembled configuration on the wheel assembly, the support member and backing member enclose the nut and the hub is still capable of rotation on the axle and with respect to the support and backing member.